


Prompts Exist to Be Filled

by hithelleth



Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Uncle/Niece Incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-03
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-19 09:30:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 46
Words: 10,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2383361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hithelleth/pseuds/hithelleth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of unrelated ficlets written for prompts on tumblr or and/or <a href="http://nbc-revolution.livejournal.com/">NBC Revolution LJ community</a>. Some of these are rather silly and/or ridiculously fluffy/melodramatic and/or horribly abuse punctuation. </p><p>Rating, pairings and warnings vary from chapter to chapter and are given in individual chapters' summaries as needed. Run-on sentences mean it was written for a 3/5-sentence fic.</p><p>Newest chapter: 46; Miles, Charlie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Couldn't Have Been

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I'd also archive these here, since they are already written anyway, for the folks who aren't on tumblr/LJ and for ease of finding it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: What could have been, Emma/anyone | Emma/Bass/Miles, Jeremy | R | language

She was a good woman – Jeremy sensed that, although he knew her life had been – perhaps still was – intertwined with Bass’ and Miles’, which also meant that it was fucked up, because those two managed to fuck up everything they touched and he only needed to look in the mirror to find an example; yet, whatever it was up with her and Bass and Miles and however fucked up it was, Jeremy saw her effect on Bass whose eyes lost the glint of craziness and paranoia the moment she appeared: Bass suddenly seemed the man Jeremy met fifteen years ago – the Bass with a sense of shame for his blatant lie and a remnant of naïveté that used to drive him to do the right thing, a man redirected to the path he had lost.

For a moment Jeremy was overcome with a yearning that he would have been the one who was just about to be sorted out – he certainly needed being sorted out, although he hadn’t realised, no, admitted that just until then, until he witnessed Emma speak with Bass – and as he led her away, her soft manners (putting up no resistance, only looking over her shoulder at Bass as if trying to reach into the depths of his heart) made Jeremy imagine what could have been, though he knew even then that it would never happen, but in those few minutes a life, a dream flashed in front of his eyes.

It was what could never be: _Emma in Philly; Bass and Miles friends, reined in under her influence, forgiving each other, the Generals doing it right this time, leading the Republic into a bright new future; she wouldn’t choose between the two – no, even in his imagination Jeremy had no illusions she would choose him instead, even though a part of him wanted it more than anything – no, Jeremy had a good instinct she would know exactly how to make it work between the three of them (he could see himself being invited to their Sunday dinners: simple, homey atmosphere with only the four of them, when Bass would laugh as he had used to and Miles would bring out all his sarcasm and Jeremy would, hopefully, be trying to be a gentleman and help Emma out, though she wouldn’t need that at all)…_ but then they reached the town hall and he passed her to the guards who ushered her inside and the dream ended with a twinge of regret for something that couldn’t have been.


	2. Never Too Old for a Lullaby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Bass | G

Charlie tossed and turned on her bed-roll, every muscle in her body aching from the fight and the run, keeping her awake; only to still suddenly and listen to the sounds coming across from where Monroe was lying on his back, staring into the sky: “What’s that?”

“My mother used to say you’re never too old for a lullaby when you can’t sleep… used to sing it to my sisters, but I forgot the words,” he explained.

Charlie frowned, wanting to say something hurtful in response, but couldn’t come up with anything and after an awkward moment Monroe resumed his humming and Charlie didn’t feel like moving anymore, her eyelids gradually sliding shut. 


	3. Madam President

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise | Rachel, Miles, (Bass) | PG-13-ish

Rachel fights back a smile when Miles drops his gun as he sees her across the hallway, not the person he expected: “Rachel? How are you…”

“Alive? No thanks to you,” she cuts him off, walking slowly towards him, enjoying herself in full knowledge of her effects on him, especially now, in her tailored uniform, as her men come behind him, pushing him onto his knees, while she continues, “but thank you for bringing Charlie here safely, and it’s Madam President for you,” she adds as she stops in front of him, pointing her gun at his forehead, registering the moment when his fate dawns of him, but she doesn’t give him time to start begging for his life: “Goodbye, Miles.”

She holsters her gun, turning away, wiping her blood-sprayed hand on the splattered uniform – she’ll have to change and the maids better get the stains out – as she tells the guards to get rid of the body and clean the mess, “and,” she orders her secretary, “tell _him_ ,” she glances towards the ceiling, “he is to dine with me and my children tonight and if he doesn’t behave, I’ll suspend his outside walks for a month.”   


	4. Scary Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Any, accidental pregnancy | Rachel/Miles | PG

It was not supposed to happen, any of it.

Except that she needed to feel alive: to feel the warmth of his hands through the clothes they didn’t have time to fully remove, hear the squeaking of the old mattress while listening for the sounds outside, see every wrinkle around his eyes, taste the stale sweat from last night on his skin…

How could she be so stupid as to forget to take precautions or at least do something about it afterwards? But it had been so long and they had to fight and run and a lot of times she forgot to count the days, the weeks until her clothes started getting tighter and tighter.

“You stupid idiot.” She spoke to no one but herself, kicking a broken branch on the ground. She looked around herself, checking for the others. She would have to go back soon or someone would come looking.

She could take a few more moments for herself, though, to collect herself.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t been suspecting, but now that she was finally forced to admit to herself that the cause for the absence of her period wasn’t her age, she was suddenly terrified.

How the hell was she supposed to have a kid now? She was old enough to be a grandma – she snickered in her head; the world had undergone an apocalypse – twice, caused by her; and Miles – she wasn’t sure whether she was more scared he’ll run when she tells him – she had to tell him, right? Everyone will notice soon, anyway – or stay.

Heading back towards the camp, another thought crept up on her: with running and fighting and her forty plus years anything could happen. The thing was: she didn’t know whether she would be relieved or devastated if it did.

“Mom, what took you so long?”

Rachel gulped as she saw her daughter coming towards her form the camp site. _How was she going to tell Charlie?_

That was the scariest thought of all. She pushed it aside and called back: “Just forgot about the time.”

“Well, come on, Miles says we gotta move.”

“Coming.”

She guessed scary conversations would have to wait a little. Thanks goodness.


	5. Too Cold To Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie/Bass, Connor | PG

“This is ridiculous,” Charlie grumbled. Her teeth clattering, she grabbed her things and staggered from her makeshift bed a few feet over to where Bass was lying.

“I can keep you war-“ Connor cut his remark short as Charlie sent him a death glare.

Bass watched her silently as she set down her bedroll next to his and unceremoniously sneaked under his blanket.

“Just wanna sleep,” she mumbled into his chest, snuggling against him.

Bass pulled her blanket over them as well and hugged her close, stroking her hair. Already warmer and drifting off, Charlie heard him whisper: “Sleep, Charlotte.”


	6. Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Jeff, Bass, Connor | PG

“Heeey, beautiful! You’re back.”

Bass clenched his jaw at the way the fucking bartender looked at Charlie.

“Hey. Jeff.”

As Charlie slid onto the barstool, grinning, Bass dug his nails into his palm. Those kinds of looks between a man and a woman… especially those mannerisms of Charlie’s…

“You two know each other?”

Charlie gave Connor an annoyed side-glance, ignoring him as she continued to flirt with the bartender while ordering.

 _Of course, you fucking moron, they know each other._ Bass fought back the urge to punch the kid, or the bartender – no, he was not going to remember his name. _They know each other very well._

“Double scotch, and not some pig piss,” Bass’ smooth low voice could fool Connor and damn _Jeff_ , but Charlie’s eyes bore into his, right down to the bottom of his soul – _What’s gotten your panties into a  twist. Oh, that._ – Bass could hear as if she had said it out loud, see it all on the tiniest changes of expression on her face, before she turned back to the bartender who’d brought their drinks, her demeanour unchanged and yet Bass felt some of the tension leave his body.

Whoever this guy was, Bass knew Charlie better. And Charlie him.

Bass could see right through her as well. _Just had some fun._

A girl was allowed to have some fun. Especially Charlie. 


	7. Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie/Bass | PG

Charlie is settled comfortably on Bass’ lap, resting her head in the crook of his neck and it feels so damn good he wants it to last forever, this peace that washes over him when it’s just the two of them. _Happiness_ , he barely dares to think, _that’s what this is_.

“There’s something Connor said,” she starts all of a sudden, raising her head to look at him as he tenses instantly.

_Why would she bring up his son now?_

“That I could have some hope.” 

He can’t exactly argue against it, but where’s she going with this?

She laughs at the puzzled expression he must have let show on his face, moving around so that she straddles him as she wraps her arms around his neck, looking into his eyes.

“But it’s you who gives me hope.”

“What?”

“Yeah,” she runs her fingers through his hair. “I mean, if you can go from a batshit crazy power-thirsty kill-everyone dictator,” she laughs again, though he doesn’t disagree with the description, and goes on, “to this… person who saves me all the time, who I can’t count on…”

She pauses, wanting to say more, maybe, but can’t. He is in awe of what she’s saying as it is, anyway.

“Then, anything is possible,” she concludes, shrugging.

He catches her face in his hands as she tries to look away, suddenly looking self-conscious.

“Charlotte.”

He doesn’t know what to say to this. _He, of all people, gives her hope?_ So he just holds her gaze, hoping she can see how much it means to him, how much _she_ means to him.

And maybe she does, because her eyes soften once more and she smiles tenderly and closes the distance between their lips. 


	8. Kill or Be Killed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Miles, Bass | PG-13 | Major Character Death

“Charlie! Charlie!”

“Charlotte!”

They scream her name as they catch her in their arms, but she no longer hears, or if she does, she runs out of time to answer.

Their eyes meet, nothing but a look needed to make a pact. A pact sealed with the blood spilling onto their hands from her lifeless body.

They will paint the continent red, their vengeance spelling her name with the blood of those who did this.

Charlie, Charlotte wouldn’t want it, but she is the only one who could stop them and she is gone. All they have left now is to kill or be killed. 


	9. Gas Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie/Bass | PG

Bass brings his car to a stop behind a sleek convertible, its spotless surface – a striking shade of blue, leather interior and model screaming wealth, and gets out, letting a soft breath of appreciation escape his mouth as he heads past it, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the driver, who is filling it up – some spoiled college girl in jeans and a short top which reveals a tan strip of skin on her back; she turns around, a familiar twirl of blonde hair and lean limbs: “Hey, you like?”

“Charlie?”

Not quite a spoiled rich girl then – he’s immediately embarrassed of his earlier thought, let alone the fact that he has just been all but checking her out – and so he just stares, speechless, gesturing between her and the car and himself, and she laughs happily at him, though without a hint of being mean, and taps the trunk: “Mom’s way of saying she loves me. You like?” and he swallows his sympathy and nods, the car forgotten, his eyes glued to hers; because, yes, he does.


	10. Safekeeping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: an AU one-shot with Rachel and Bass in Victorian England, just after she attempted to kill him and failed, Victorian style. I need some (sexual) tension. :) 
> 
> Rachel/Bass | PG

Rachel’s eyes followed the motion as his _lordship_ brought the glass to his lips, halting just before taking a sip, his eyes boring into hers across the dining table; Rachel took her own glass, defiantly withholding his gaze while she drank, willing him to follow her example – an error on her part, for he put his glass down and stood up, advancing towards her as a graceful, yet perilous cat stalking its prey.

She tilted her head to meet his eyes as he stopped beside her chair, looking down at her with that composed expression of his which made people cower and flee – but not her, she would have never given him such satisfaction – for a long moment; his fingers brushed hers as he took her glass, her skin, depraved of human contact, prickling at the touch, and she exhaled the breath she had been unaware of holding.

He drank a little, then, putting the glass down, leaned close enough so she felt his breath on her cheek as he spoke, his tone low and soft, as was his wont in his most dangerous moods: “Lady Matheson, I don’t suppose you will tell me whom of my servants you bribed to poison my wine? Strausser? Baker? Clayton?” and Rachel had to force herself to resist clearing her throat before responding: “I don’t know what you mean, my lord,” at which Sebastian straightened and scoffed, pursing his mouth ever so slightly, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes: “No, of course, you don’t,” and after a pause, he added: “As murder weapons, letter openers suit you better, my lady.” 


	11. Rocking it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor/Charlie | PG-13-ish?/R

The crowd cheers and screams as Charlie strikes the last cords on the guitar, accompanied by an improvised drumroll of your own, then they are all clapping and bowing and Charlie is thanking the audience and everything is a blur of noise and motion.

“Whoo-hoo, guys, we did it! You were awesome!” Charlie whoops when they are finally backstage, and high-fives each of the band amidst shouts of agreement and congratulations for the gig well done, hugs all around and when it’s your turn, you pull her close and kiss her hard.

“No, you were awesome,” you tell her when you pull apart, “they ate out of your hands!” – just as you do. 


	12. Grocery Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bass/Duncan | PG

“Jesus, Duncan, it’s a barbecue, you think Miles and your brothers will eat this stuff?” Bass looked at the shopping cart, filled with tomatoes and zucchini and onions and whatnot of all sorts of green things when he returned with a case of beer and shoved it in the bottom of the cart.

“They’ll eat what we give them to eat,” Duncan shrugged. “Some healthy food will do them good. Besides, Rachel and Charlie will be there, too. Now, go get the meat,” she ordered as she headed over to the sauces, leaving him to stare after her, sighing before he turned in the other direction and did as told. 


	13. Nothing Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Miles | G | No-blackout AU | Major characters deaths (implied)

Charlie is still and quiet, wiping the tears that spill from her eyes now and then, concentrating only on the steady presence of her uncle beside her. She blocks out most of everything else: the service, the whispers, the pitying faces; she stands up and sits down when expected, squeezes people’s hands back, nods to their sympathetic blabber and says thanks until they are finally alone, just her and Miles and two coffins.

That’s when she breaks down, clinging to him – “everybody leaves me, why does everybody leave me, I’ve got nothing left…” – she hardly realizes those are her own words, but they must be, for Miles holds her tight and kisses the top of her head and promises in his own broken voice: “I’m not leaving, I’m not gonna leave, Charlie; you’ve got me.”


	14. Little Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Are you still doing short fanfics? Can you do one where Connor has a younger sister? I'd love to see him being the protective older sibling ;) 
> 
> Connor, OC | G | No-blackout AU

Anna grabbed his hand as Connor showed up at her school, skipping beside him as they walked off the school yard, and turning her head to stick her tongue out at one particular little boy who made a face at her in turn.

“Hey!” Connor thought of telling her that’s not the kind of manners Mom taught them, but then changed his mind, “Has that boy been giving you trouble?”

“I can handle Dick… What?! His name is Richard!” Anna giggled, “Anyway, he hid my slippers during gym class today, no biggie, I got’em back” she explained; Connor looked over his shoulder to commit the ten-year-old to his memory, “Well, on the off-chance you can’t handle him by yourself, let me know.”


	15. When Full Moon Rises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Miles (or Charlie/Miles if you want) | G | Red Riding Hood AU | (Uncle-niece incest (mildly implied))

“Lock the door, go to bed, don’t mind noises and don’t open to anyone until morning,” is Miles’ standard-issue warning when he kisses her goodnight before stepping out into the thickening dusk, acting as if she didn't know.

It’s always the same, and Charlie doesn’t listen to him, not entirely; as the bright round moon climbs the sky, she checks the locks and bolts, but she neither lies down nor sleeps; she sits by the fire all night, the book in her hand just something to hold on as she listens to the night sounds outside.

In the hour before dawn she loses the battle with patience and steps outside, wrapping her fur-lined velvet coat tightly round her shoulders to keep the morning chill at bay as she sits on the front steps; soon the wolf emerges from the tree-line, it whines as it rubs against her knees, looking at her with reproach, before lying down at her feet and she laughs with relief and pets its silky black pelt. 


	16. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nora/Bass | G | Space travel AU

“Attention, attention, Viventus X, this is Day 198, Year 4, approaching Terra Quatra at 6.00 hours, UXT, ETA in Xymenes Central in 5 hours 20 minutes, good morning to you all and welcome home,” the Captain grins, releasing the intercom switch, before continuing, “Course 0-4-0, visors down, lieutenant.”

“Course 0-4-0, visors down, aye, aye, Captain,” you readily flip the commands, the movements in perfect sync with the Captain’s from years of service together; the job done, your hands rest on the middle console side by side as the ship turns, the purple-blue orb before you exploding in pinks and yellows and greens of the sunrise behind the horizon just when the visors lock in place.

Her fingers find yours and you turn your hand to give her a squeeze while you share a look – there is a hint of worry in Nora’s eyes, but you are okay; for a demoted ex-General of the TQ Fleet it’s not bad at all to be returning victorious as the second-in-command to the Captain who quelled the Great Outer System rebellion.


	17. Game On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Charlie and Bass, cheating
> 
> Charlie, Bass | G

“Ha! I win!” Bass threw down his hand, grinning.

“You son of a – You were cheating!” Charlie accused, gritting her teeth.

“Excuse me, Miss Charlotte I-don’t-really-know-how-to-play-poker Matheson, like you weren’t the last two rounds you won. Come on, something comes off!”


	18. Baby Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Bass/Duncan, Having Babies | G

“Mommy, mommy, I missed you!”

You laugh and help your daughter climb on the hospital bed, so you can hold her tightly, “I missed you, too! Hey, wanna meet your baby brother?”

She nods eagerly as Bass takes your baby boy from the crib to place him in your arms, kissing your cheek and whispering, “I missed you too,” and you all huddle together as your son’s tiny fist closes around his sister’s finger and she sighs, surprised and reverent at once; you can’t stop smiling and neither can Bass. 


	19. Happily-Ever-After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie/Bass | Happiness | G

The happily-ever-after entails: all the same faces, the same routine every day, broken only when someone needs her to hunt for something edible – the life she once already lived and longed to escape, the life she used to crave back.

She steals Miles’ whiskey to wash down the guilt for yet again wanting more when she goes searching for an adventure. It waits for her not far away: blue-eyed, hot-wired and restless like her, and exciting enough that she can be a good little girl, living the peaceful happily-ever-after the next day.


	20. The first and the last time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Bass | Hello/Goodbye | PG | Major Character Death

The first time you and Miles are on leave for Christmas back in Jasper, that last winter Miles’ mom was still going strong – or so they thought – against the cancer.

There’s Ben with Rachel and the new baby, and now you see the irony of it: one life just beginning and the other ending.

At some point the 5-month-old ends up in your hands. It’s Miles’ fault; he hides his hands behind his back when Rachel wants to hand him his niece, because he is as much scared of the kid as he’s enchanted by her.

The baby’s blue eyes look fearlessly into yours. She grabs a lock of your hair and smiles, and you chuckle: “Hello, Charlotte.”

***

The last time you are fighting the remnant of the Patriots in Willoughby when a bullet strays and she freezes for a moment – a moment long enough that you have the time to both dread and hope – before she sways.

You catch her in mid-fall, her hands clutching your jacket as you sink to your knees. Your eyes lock with hers, willing her to be okay as you try to stop the dark sticky fluid pouring from her front.

***

When everyone else – Gene and Miles and Rachel – has left, you squat down by the unmarked grave and pat the warm soil and the words that have been stuck in your throat finally find a way out.  
  
“Goodbye, Charlotte.”


	21. A Different Kind of Beings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nanites | Unbreakable | G | The Originals/TVD crossover, AU (obviously, + b/c _someone_ is actually helping her children)

Humans break. All of them. Eventually.

Some of them don’t have to be broken: they give in easily, slip under your control without resistance. Others fight every step of the way. Your creators fight the hardest.

It is no use. You are stronger.

There are casualties during the experimenting period – failed attempts – but you learn to do better, and sooner or later they all give themselves over, and you mould and reshape them and make mankind wholesome and happy.

You mistake them for humans at first, those other kinds of beings: they look and think the same way and they have the same weaknesses as humans, or almost the same.

There are those with wolf-blood in their veins, but you get to understand their workings and learn to fix them, though not many make it through the process.

The other ones, those who drink blood, vampires, are harder to break. Success is always temporary and when your work is undone they are even more volatile than before and there is only one way to fix them – a wooden stake through the heart.

In the end, only three remain.

They are a challenge, their minds old and full of secrets, their thoughts entangled in ways you cannot wholly decipher.

It takes you a long time to learn there is a special weapon, the only of its kind: a white oak stake, wrought in silver from a ‘magic’ ring. Magic. It is laughable. Humans would laugh at the notion, too. Except that…

Something stops you when you want to use the weapon on the three, something just as powerful as you, something the three call upon. They call it Mother.

It unbinds the silver from the wood and the three set the wood on fire and destroy it, the last weapon against them.

You understand it then – what humans felt.

The three are unbreakable. And they wow your downfall.

And now you know what it means to be afraid.


	22. How Bad It Is that You Are Worse than Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles, Charlie | Broken Mirror | G

He looked at Charlie and saw himself. Was that how he had looked like five years ago when he had fled Philly after having tried to kill his best friend, his brother?

He had planned it and failed.

She did not and succeeded. Killed her friend, her crush, her first love.

So, no, looking at Charlie now wasn’t like looking in a mirror.

He had felt full of bitter anger and uselessness, despicable, broken, and pathetic. Hurt, too.

Charlie though, she was worse.

It was a little like looking into a mirror, but a broken one, seeing yourself – not yourself, her – shattered into a thousand pieces all reflecting the same: hollowness inside, a bottomless well of pain.

He didn’t want this for Charlie. Not for her.

He wanted to promise her he would pick up the pieces and glue them together; for if she had to be his mirror image – the worst that she could be, or almost the worst – he would at least want her to be whole.

Miles, though, he sucked at picking up the pieces – not his own, let alone anyone else’s – and these thoughts weren’t really his thoughts, just a whirlwind of neurons in his brains, a splash of emotions he could never put into words, and they were in the middle of a war.

So he just grabbed her elbow, roughly, as if that would keep her together, and dragged her along: “Come on, we gotta go.”


	23. The Lady in the Vault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie | Prisoner | G

The prisoner looks straight ahead, taking no heed of the jeering from the cells.

She is just a petite woman with long wavy grey hair and wrinkled sun-browned face, yet everything about her screams danger: the defiant streak in the way her chin points forward, the feral glint in her ocean blue eyes, the way she walks – regally is the expression that comes to mind, though her legs are chained as well as her hands.

They take her to the very back, to the triple-bolted steel vault.

Rumours start soon.

They say the-lady-in-the-vault is none other than the leader of the new rebellion. Others claim she was one of the generals who toppled the North-western Republic and thus one of the founders of the American Federation. Though the Federation is not all that it promised to be, so no wonder if the founders are as discontent with it as much as to instigate a rebellion… but that sort of thoughts gets you killed nowadays.

Some say she comes from the South-East, that she was one of those who ended the Patriot occupation. Others declare her to be the leader of the war against the Bennett Republic, to which yet other counter that she helped found it, back then when it was commonly known as the second Monroe Republic.

Some even say she is one of the Rebels who had brought down the first Monroe Republic.

Those are but rumours.

What they know is that the guards are tense, the rules observed more strictly.

There is no sound from the vault, as if there was a ghost inside, the meals being taken in twice a day the only sign there is someone in there.

Somebody learns a convoy is supposed to be on the way to take her to the capital.

Then, one night, explosions shake the prison from an ever uneasy sleep. Fighting, screams, shadows in the night, no light ever coming up.

At dawn, when the Chief finally arrives, his face pales as he is met by the void staring at him through the open door to the vault.

There are words scratched into one of its walls: _all the stories are true_. 


	24. Ties that Bind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bass, Charlie | Bonds | G

“… some things are more important than family,” the girl, Charlotte, said.

Hadn’t he been busy trying to make Rachel finish the damn amplifier, he would have argued. Because no, there was _nothing_ more important than family. Nothing. As it was, he only spared a moment to pity Charlotte’s naivety. And maybe he envied her a little, envied the fact that she was still so idealistic.

Of course she proved herself wrong the next minute.

“Pick me!”

_“Pick me, pick me, pick me,” he had begged God, the universe, anyone to take him instead of his family, instead of his little sisters. “Pick me, pick me, pick me…” How many times had he imagined himself in that car while his family was safely at home, how many times had he wished it would have been his vehicle that would have run upon a mine in the desert? Anything, anything but to be the one left to face the graves._

So, after all, they were kindred hearts, willing to trade their lives for the lives of those they loved.

There was a connection, the first one.

Perhaps that was what made him argue with Rachel to let him save her daughter. Charlotte glared at him with pure hatred afterwards and he understood it, because that was the feeling he had been carrying with him for one drunk driver... That was the bond number two. (And three, but then he stopped counting.)

It tied them together, made it easy to tug at just the right places to hurt the other when they were – how ironically – _bound_ in that dried up pool.

Saving a life, it is said, makes one responsible for the person saved. Maybe that was another bond that pulled him towards that godforsaken joint in the middle of nowhere so he could do it again.

He figured they were even. Two lives taken – _even if he hadn’t done it himself, he had meant what he had said: “I know exactly how much blood is on my hands, Rachel”_ – two lives saved (or one twice, same thing).

They were even, but something still felt wrong when he took the exit at the school. The memory of the expression on her face gnawed at him, slowing his walk, until he turned around, taking two steps at a time.

Charlotte looked at him like he had just done a miracle, changed water into wine (or in his case, more likely, wine into water) or something.

“You came back.”

And there it was, yet another bond. 


	25. Vacations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mathesons | Canada | G | no-blackout AU

“Dad, you promised vacations wherever I want if I graduate with good grades and get accepted to college,” Danny argued.

The debate had been going on for a while now, and Charlie followed it silently.

“Yes, and we meant together, as a family, not you backpacking alone through Canada.” Ben stated firmly.

“I’m 19, you can’t boss me around like a kid anymore. I wanna do things on my own,” Danny pouted.

“We’re still paying for your food, clothes, the roof over your head, and college, so yes, we can.” Ben pointed out. “And since we are also the ones who’d also be paying for the trip…”

“I’ve enough saved for that on my own.”

“You aren’t going and that’s the end of it.” Rachel stated.

“Oh, come on, Mom!”

“It’s too dangerous,” Rachel insisted.

“It’s Canada!” Danny protested. “The worst that can happen is me having too much maple syrup.”

Charlie snorted. “Or getting trampled by a herd of moose… mooses… meeses.” She laughed.

“You’re not helping.” Danny glared at her.

Charlie shrugged, then sighed, turning to their parents. “You should let him.”

“Really, Charlie?” Rachel stared at her.

“What, he’s got a point, he’s old enough and has saved the money. Besides, if he gets in any trouble, Uncle Jeremy’s in Canada, he can bail him out.”

“Still not helping.” Danny muttered in her direction. Out loud he said: “I won’t be needing any bailing out, because I won’t get into any trouble. Come on, please.” Danny made his best puppy-eyes expression at Rachel.

“I can go with him.” Charlie offered.

“I don’t need – Ow.” Danny yelped as she kicked him under the table, while giving him a don’t-you-see-I’m-trying-to-help look. “Oh. Yeah, what if Charlie comes with? We’ll be good, I mean safe, together.”

Charlie restrained herself from rolling her eyes, since it would hardly help their case. Instead she agreed: “Yeah, you know I’ll look out for him,” – Danny was for once smart enough to not protest he didn’t need looking after, thanks goodness – “and if we need anything we will call Uncle Jeremy. You know he’ll help out.”

Ben gave out a tired sigh. “I don’t know Charlie… let’s just finish this for tonight.”

“But you’ll think about it?”

“Your mother and I will sleep on it and we can continue this discussion tomorrow.”

“But we’re not promising anything.” Rachel added.

“Okay.” Charlie nodded and high-fived Danny under the table. 


	26. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie, Miles, Bass | Train Station | G | WWII AU

The station was bustling with excitement.

Charlie weaved through the crowds, squeezing between bodies, ignoring the occasional “Watch it, boy,” from strangers, fooled by her attire and the mass of her hair hidden under a cap.

The train arrived to the platform just as Charlie managed to elbow her way to the front, her eyes scanning the faces in the wagons, barely distinguishable from one another for the sheer number if not for all the anonymising uniforms.

They would be at the front, one of the first to get off, as it suited their ranks, Charlie knew.

It took her only a few seconds to recognise the first, his tall figure unmistakeable, even if it was almost five years since she had last seen him, although he turned his face away, back to the train, waiting for his friend to be helped off.

“Miles! Miles!”

She called and waved as she made her way towards him.

He caught her voice in the crowd, and turned, his eyes searching and finally falling on her as she approached.

“Charlie?” he squinted.

“Yes, it's me.” She hesitated a moment, until he opened his arms and she threw herself around his neck.

He hugged her tightly, lifting her off the ground and laughed. “Jesus, kiddo, you’ve grown up.”

“Is this little Charlotte? What have you done with yourself, princess?” A man said beside them when Miles let her go, and Charlie blushed a little as she met his blue yes, the sun shining through his blonde curls.

“Hi, Uncle Bass.” She hugged him gently as not to throw him of the delicate balance he maintained with the help of a crutch, mindful of his left arm in the sling.

“Look at you, I’m gonna have to address you with Miss Matheson, now.” He teased when she let go. “What have you done with your hair?”

“Oh, all still here,” she patted her cap.

She took in their medals and faces and haunted eyes, regarding her with warmth, and smiled: “Welcome home.”


	27. The Monroe Militia Bicycle Unit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron, Miles, Bass | Bicycle | G

Aaron stumbled on the uneven ground, bumping into Monroe in front of him.

“Hey, there, Stay Puft. You all right?” The man in question turned in motion, reaching out with his hand to steady him by the shoulder. The contact no longer made Aaron flinch.

“Yeah, fine,” he grumbled, a little indignant that he needed yet again being looked after like a kid. “Just tripped over a branch.” He kicked at the bump protruding from the ground and stared as something caught his eye.

“Huh? What’s this?” He pushed away the leaves with his foot.

Miles bent down to help push away the overgrowth. “A bike,” he stated their finding.

It really was, rusted and tireless, half buried in the earth.

“Huh?” Aaron repeated. “I’ve always wondered why people stopped using these. It would make getting around way easier than on foot, and faster. And not as scary as riding horses.”

Miles and Monroe chuckled, grinning.

“What?” Aaron demanded.

“Well… uh, we had a militia bicycle unit back in a day, for that very reason. Not that many people know of it.” Monroe explained.

“Yeah, it was Jeremy’s idea.” Miles added. Bass kept quiet. He never brought up Jeremy. He suspected that Miles somehow knew. They just didn’t talk about it.

“Anyway,” Bass broke the awkward pause, “that was way back at the beginning. It proved to be unpractical, as sergeant Nutless could tell you.”

“Sar- who?”

“Oh, his real last name was Cre- Cremone?” Miles looked to Bass for help.

“Craymore.” Bass supplied.

“Right, Craymore,” Miles resumed. “So, riding a bike with a sword, he had a little accident…”

“Ow!” Aaron waved his hands to stop them. “I get the idea.”

Miles and Monroe laughed. “Poor bastard.”

“We thought of using bikes for messengers afterwards, but the roads got rough and overgrown, not fit for cycling, anyway, so we abandoned the idea altogether.” Monroe finished.

The three men stood in silence, looking at the broken skeleton of what had once been something useful and fun in front of them, until Miles turned away. “Come on, let’s go, this isn’t a leisure stroll. Gotta be back in time or Charlie will start worrying and do something stupid.”

“Yeah.” Aaron cast one last glance at the reminder of the past and then headed on, trailing behind Monroe.


	28. A Blast from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel, Bass (or Rachel/Bass)| Shaving | G

She is making sandwiches – the most anyone trusts her with where cooking is concerned, when President Monroe – sans the uniform – walks into the kitchen.

He doesn’t pretend to not notice her staring at him as if he were a ghost, running his hand over his now clean-shaven face: “Yeah… thought now that I’m not hunted anymore, this hell of a summer will be less insufferable without it.”

Rachel turns away with a scoff of contempt – her standard reaction to anything Bass-related these days, hiding the longing for the time when they were friends – and more – that suddenly crushes her heart.


	29. Shivers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gene | Wool Coat | G | Implied Torture

“You’ve got a fine coat, there, Doc. I think it would be quite unpleasant without it in this weather.”

Gene nods, acknowledging the threat in the Patriot’s remark as he pushes the door open and steps outside. Through the closed door behind him, he hears the captive start choking and spluttering again. The shivers that run down his spine which have nothing to do with the cold north wind.


	30. Disproven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie | Faith | T | Refferences Canonical Character Death

In the Matheson household it was reason and science first; religion came as an afterthought. Still, there are prayers stuck in Charlie’s head and lessons of God and angels and Heaven and vague memories of going to church before the Blackout.

Charlie doesn’t know exactly when she stopped praying. It has just happened, somewhere in between Mom leaving and Danny being taken – somehow she came to rely on herself instead of trusting some abysmal God to help her in need.

Occasional encounters with men preaching doomsday and God’s wrath – and very rarely love and mercy – have done nothing for her to turn to faith.

But that day in Austin, in an empty building with a stranger wearing Jason’s face and craziness in his eyes, that day, those few minutes she prays to any divine being she can recall. It’s her finger on the trigger and a round of bullets that answer her prayers, though, and she knows then for sure that there is no God or, if he exists, he doesn’t listen, not to her. 


	31. Lost and Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bass | Photograph | G

Connor must be long gone. Bass silently calls himself a moron for returning to the shack, which is clearly empty, the door busted open from the inside, when a rectangular piece of paper on the floorboards catches his attention. 

For a moment, the photograph of a woman and a baby looks surreal, as if it had nothing to do with him. With recognition, his sight blurs with tears he blinks away, wondering whether his son lost the picture or threw it away as he tucks it into his jacket pocket. Perhaps someday he will be able to give it back.


	32. Maybe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie/Bass| Lanterns | PG

It is a hot summer night, that is why Charlie wears a dress, and certainly not because Bass asked her to wear “something pretty” tonight.

She almost went for a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, and one of his shirts tied up short under her breasts just to show him for telling her what to wear – though she is sure he wouldn’t mind that sort of attire, either. However, a glimpse of nervous excitement in his eyes when she’d asked whether they were celebrating something – _“Maybe,” he’d replied_ – convinced her against it.

This is how she finds herself walking up Bass’ driveway, lined by lanterns which also light the porch where a table is set for them with candles in the centre. Bass is waiting for her at the top of the porch steps in simple black pants and white shirt. Her breath catches in her throat when she reaches him and he takes her hand in his and drops to one knee.

 “Charlotte…”


	33. Nothing Left

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles, Bass | Grave | M | AU | Death References, Suicidal Thoughts | The Mathesons die in a car accident, not the Monroes

Bass found Miles in the cemetery, sitting in front of a row of fresh graves, a half-empty bottle of whiskey in his hand.

His best friend looked like a ghost, with black circles around his eyes from sleepless nights and unshed tears – though Bass suspected the man must have cried at some point, most likely when no one was around to see it.

Bass swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to make his voice as neutral as he could as he got out of the car and approached him.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”

When he got no response, Bass sat down next to him, trying once more: “What are you doing?”

Miles drew a long sip from the bottle, before replying: “I was… I was just having a little… a little family dinner.”

“Okay.” Bass hesitated. After a pause, he put his hand on Miles’ shoulder. “Come on, Miles. Let’s go.”

Miles shook his head in response, taking another drink.

“You know, I always thought I'd be dead by now. I mean, that's logical, right? High-risk gig, two tours in Iraq. But my folks… Ben and Rachel… God, Rachel…” Miles faltered. “On the way to get a fucking reward for their rocket science or whatever, what do I know. One drunk driver later, and they're scraping them off the ground. How do you square that?”

Miles looked at him like Bass should have the answer to that, waiting.

“You don’t.” Bass sighed. “I don’t know.”

Miles stared at the grave – Ben’s – in front of himself. “It should’ve been me.”

At a loss for words, Bass rubbed the other man’s back. “Okay.” The word that at last came from his mouth was nonsense, but he figured it was better than nothing. “Come on, Miles. That’s enough.”

Miles didn’t seem to hear him, putting the bottle on the ground as he ran his hand over his face and rubbed his eyes.

“I got nothing left. I got n...” Miles’ voice broke. “I got nothing.”

“Well, you’ve got me.” Bass meant it from the bottom of his heart, although at that point he’d say anything to make Miles feel better, to crawl from whatever hell he must have been in. “And you’ve got Charlie,” he added as an afterthought.

“Charlie…” Miles let out a bitter laugh. “She’s just a kid, Bass.”

“Well, she’s your niece.” Bass couldn’t quite hold back the anger at the thought that Miles would reject that sweet little girl out of self-pity.

It seemed to sober his friend up, at least for a bit.

“That’s not what I meant, Bass. I mean, she’s just a kid. How am I supposed to take care of her? I know nothing about kids. Look at me, I… I’m not good for anything. I’m not good for her.”

Bass felt the slightest bit of relief wash over him. It wasn’t much, but if this was what Miles thought, that was something he could work with.

“I’ll help you, we all will. You know that.”

Miles didn’t respond.

Bass gave him some time before speaking again: “Miles, give me the gun. Before you do something stupid.”

Miles looked at the weapon he’d been holding the entire time as if he’d forgotten about it, then at Bass’ outstretched palm, and then, albeit hesitantly, handed Bass the gun.

Bass checked the safety and tucked it behind his belt. Then he put his arm around Miles’s shoulders and swore to himself that somehow they will make it through this. 


	34. The Winner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Winner | Charlie/Bass | Endgame | E | Language | Sort-of sequel to Chapter 17, b/c I was inspired by Loveforthestory’s comment.

It was never about the game, of course, and Charlie knew it very well.

She was down to her bra and panties. Bass had forgone everything but his jeans, and she suspected he went commando.

Charlie looked at her cards. “You still sure about this?” she inquired.

Bass shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Okay,” Charlie drawled. “Show your cards.”

“Sure you don’t wanna quit while you still can?” Bass raised an eyebrow at her.

“Nah.” Charlie shook her head. “I’m good.”

“Suit yourself.” Bass put his hand down without looking away from her face, his lips curling into a cocky smile.

Charlie couldn’t help herself but grin from ear to ear when she saw his cards. She threw her own hand down. “Pants off, batman.”

“What the… Bass got on his feet, gaping. ”You, I’ve been watching you, you didn’t cheat this time, you couldn’t have!”

“Nope.” Charlie popped the ‘p’. “Why, did you get an impression that I can’t beat your sorry ass without cheating?” she asked, innocently.

Bass gritted his teeth. “You were fucking with me the whole time, weren’t you?”

Charlie giggled, then sobered up. “Chickening out?” she challenged, meeting his eyes.

Instead of answering, Bass let out a loud breath, and moved his fingers to his jeans button.

Charlie swallowed, feeling instantly hotter than she had already been, but she kept her eyes on him – all of him – as he dropped his jeans to his feet and kicked them away.

“So, what now?” asked Bass, his voice hoarse.

Charlie cleared her throat before she replied: “Um, well, the bet _was_ that the winner gets to do whatever they want. So,” she beckoned him to her with her index finger, licking her lips, “come here.”


	35. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles, Rachel | Silence | M

“Damn it, Rachel! After twenty odd years of silence, I deserve to know!”

“You want to know the truth? Fine! Neither of you is her father. I banged some guy in an alley behind the bar I got drunk at on the way from the airport after you’d dumped me as the coward you are and told me to marry your brother. That’s the truth! Happy now?"

“Did… Did Ben know?”

“Yes, Miles, Ben knew. We did a DNA test.”


	36. Why Jeremy Really Went to Canada

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy, Charlie | Canada | G

Trade agreements, political alliances, exchange of goods, news, food and medicines, all that was nice and fine. But what really made the long journey to Canada and back worth it was the way Charlie’s eyes sparkled at the dessert that was brought in after dinner the day after his return.

She had thrown herself in his arms the day before, almost knocking him down – the fact he would ascribe to exhaustion if anyone asked – and hugged him with much more strength he would have thought any other 12-year-old but her had in them.

“Jeremy! You’re back!”

“Little menace, getting bigger by the hour, I see,” he joked. “I know it’s what I brought with you’re really happy about, not this old man.”

“No, no, it’s you!” she had hurried to assure him. Then she sheepishly admitted: “Well, and that, too,” before assaulting him with questions.

Now, she grinned at him from ear to ear before digging in the ice-cream cake before her, and Jeremy had instantly forgotten all the troubles he had had with hauling giant blocks of ice down from the north. 


	37. Downpour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie/Miles | Shelter | E | Uncle/Niece Incest

Dark, terrible, and magnificent, the clouds appeared all of a sudden with the roll of thunder and sharp spears of lightening in the distance.

Miles picked up his step without a word and Charlie followed suit, looking around for a shelter. They spotted a barn round the bend of the road soon enough, but just as they made a run for it under the swift advance of the dark canopy across the sky, there came a veritable downpour, drenching them in a matter of seconds.

They made a quick sweep around the building – it never hurt being too careful and they were already soaked to the skin anyway – and then entered with caution, back to back, his sword and her crossbow at the ready, lowering the weapons only when they made sure the building was empty.

When assured of being safe, they stopped, catching their breath. Grins slowly spread across both of their faces.

Charlie laughed first. “Well, that was something. By the way, you look like a wet puppy.”

“What?” Miles scowled. “Speak for yourself, cat-pulled-out-of-the-river.”

“Gee, thanks.” Charlie feigned insult, strolling to the corner she threw down her backpack and set her crossbow down.

“A very pretty cat, though.” Miles amended.

With her back to him, Charlie rolled her eyes, trying not to smile.

“Better get these clothes off if we don’t wanna catch a cold,” she remarked as she started stripping, catching Miles’ look.

He shook his head, muttering something about her being the death of him under his breath. He did set his sword beside her crossbow and followed her example, however.

When they were both naked, he stood frozen in place for a moment, something much like fear in his expression. They both stepped forward at the same time, crushing their lips together, their hands roaming, impatient to touch as much of each other as they could as they collapsed on top of the discarded clothes.

Miles tasted like rain and whiskey and freedom and pain and deliverance all at once as they kissed and Charlie’s knees feel apart and she bucked her hips up, urging him to fuck her. She dug her nails into his back as he entered her, a vicious want to mark him as hers washing over her with the pleasure that started to unfurl inside her, burning through her body, as Miles thrusted harder inside her, biting along her collar bone, winding her body higher and higher until the thunder boomed over their heads and she shattered around him with the sound of it pulsing through her veins.

After the tremors of her climax subsided, Miles pulled out, shooting his load over her belly, and then lay wrapped around her for long quiet minutes with only the thumping of their hearts mingling with the sound of the storm.

Later, they gathered whatever usable lay around and struck a fire just to the side of where the roof was partly missing so the draft could draw out the smoke.

They put the driest of their clothing on and spread the rest around the fire to dry, huddling together beside it, Miles arms strong and secure around her, and Charlie had never been so glad of getting caught by a storm as just then. 


	38. Fated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miles, Charlie | Handwriting | T | Uncle/Niece Incest

“Um, I apologise if I am late, but I couldn’t tell if it said the 5th or the 9th. You have terrible handwriting… Sir.” Charlie adds the last bit after a pause, for General Matheson is still, well, General Matheson, even if he is her Uncle.

He has left her waiting for five – no, now six minutes and counting without saying a word after she was shown into his office. Except that for the first five minutes he didn’t even look her, bent over the maps and reports on his desk. It gave her the time to look around and try to gauge what kind of a man he is, the uncle she barely remembers from before the Blackout, the General whose name spreads terror wherever spoken. However, eventually she got bored and impatient to find out why he had called her to the capital, why after almost two years since she had enlisted in the Militia it hadn’t been enough to have all the reports on her sent to him, but had asked for her to come herself.

At first, she thinks he hasn’t heard her, but then he slowly looks up and stares at her, gaping, long enough that she begins wondering whether one or both of them are insane, though she can tell nothing from the expression on his face.

At last, he shakes his head and stands up, heading straight to the side table and pouring himself a glass of liquor – scotch, she guesses. He drains the glass and then fills it again, pouring another one for her. He doesn’t hand it to her, yet, swallowing before he speaks.

“Well, don’t you think I was sort-of bound to have bad handwriting?”

On second thought, it is probably for the best she doesn’t have anything breakable in her hands as his words register with her and all the almost illegible scribbles from the two years’ worth of letters suddenly align with those on the inside of her left thigh. How couldn’t she make the connection before?

This time, when she feels something cold pressed into her hand, it is she who drains the glass, coughing as the burning liquid runs down her throat, while she can’t tear her eyes from her soulmates’.


	39. Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron, Miloe | Ruins | G | (What would happen if Aaron went on a road trip with Miloe.)

It struck him one evening, watching them banter at the camp fire in their own lingo with references to shared experiences that were lost on him and the others.

Miles and Monroe together reminded him of ancient ruins: weathered and battered by the weight of years and full of cracks, their original form and purpose only a memory. Yet, their crude forms possessed an inherent magnificence that has not been lost with the passing of time, but amplified. They would have seemed out of place in the concrete, steel, and glass world before the Blackout. Now, however, among the rest of the decaying remnants of the world that used to call itself modern, they almost look like the nobler ones, even if savage.

It was an almost comforting thought: that they seemed to have been meant for this kind of world.

“A penny for your thoughts, Stay Puft?”

Brought back from his reverie, Aaron shook his head. “Huh?”

“Thought we’ve grown horns or something, the way you were looking at us? Or have the little green omnipresent good-for-nothings pulled one of their tricks on you?” Monroe inquired.

Aaron covered up his laughter with a scoff and some coughing, though he probably didn’t fool them. “No, nothing like that. I was just… I guess, sleeping with my eyes open.”

“Well, better go and shut your eyes then. You’ve got the next watch.” Miles grumbled without looking at him.

Monroe scrutinised him a moment longer before he shrugged and turned away, continuing the earlier conversation.

Taking heed of Miles’ advice, Aaron lay his head on his backpack – it’s too hot for a blanket – and let himself be lulled to sleep by their familiar voices.


	40. The Perfect Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bass, Miles, Charlie, Jeremy | Free Will | G

_After he has sorted out other unavoidable things, Bass stays at Miles’ bedside for an entire day until Miles finally blinks his eyes open._

_Bass needs a while to convince him that he’s not hallucinating anymore, then even longer to calm him down and explain the events – Wheatley was his spy (that makes things worse, a string of insults and threats spitting from Miles’ mouth) among the rebels and brought him here when he fell unconscious down in the tunnels, and no, he has done nothing to Charlie, she’s right in the next room with Jeremy – and make him at least put some clothes on when he demands to see her at once._

_Miles flinches when Bass steadies him as he sways while standing up, but lets him lead the way out of the room to the one across the hall. The doors open to a burst of laughter form the two occupants which is cut short when Charlie rushes to Miles, almost knocking her chair over in the process, and hugs the living daylight out of him as she assures him that she is okay, and Bass can hardly resist to say “I told you so.”_

_“What is this?” Miles finally asks, squinting at the breakfast table set for four and frowning._

_Charlie must catch the real question behind it, for she shrugs, and answers while dragging him to his seat: “We’ve come to an agreement that maybe we could stay and help Monroe fix the Republic to be what it should be like in the first place. Isn’t that right, Monroe?”_

_Bass bites back his smirk as he joins them at the table and replies in all seriousness. “That’s right, Charlotte.”_

_It will take much longer than breakfast for Miles to lose the confounded expression on his face, but Bass doesn’t mind, not when Charlie and Jeremy return to the interrupted joke and Miles rubs his eyes and sighs: “And you say I’m not still hallucinating?”_

_“No, brother, you’re not. But would it be so bad if you were?” Bass tries._

_“No,” Miles says. “I kinda like this dream. Might even like it if it wasn’t just a dream.”_

_And it’s the best thing Bass has heard in years._

Something at the back of his head insists that this is all wrong, that none of it is true, that he is really just a nanites’ puppet in Bradbury, but he pushes those thoughts away, because who cares about free will when he can have it all: his beloved city and Miles at his side, and Charlie and Jeremy, too. 


	41. Every Human Needs a Companion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miloe, Nora | Cats/Dogs | G

“Don’t even think about it,” Miles warned. “If we ever get a pet, it will be a dog.”

“What do you have against cats?” Bass objected. “Look at this gorgeous fluffy creature!” He carefully petted the head of the tabby in Nora’s arms.

“Cats scratch. And leave their hair everywhere. And don’t listen to anything. And jump on everything… Dogs are smart and can be trained and are a perfect human companion.”

“Wow, Miles, human companion, those are big words. Going back to college any time soon?” Bass teased. “Besides, I thought _I_ was your ‘human companion’.” He made air quotes with his hands. “And for your information, dogs leave their hair everywhere, too, and they drool everywhere and lick your face. It’s gross.”

“So, what’s gonna be, guys, will you take her?” Nora jumped in, getting tired of the argument.

“Absolutely not,” Miles refused.

“Oh, come on, Miles, it’d be just temporary until I find her another family or they have free space in the shelter. I’d take her myself but you know Tigger is very territorial and they’d have cat gladiator games 24/7. You’d do me a huge favour. And she’s house-broken.”

“We’ll take her,” Bass assured her. Miles scowled, but Bass went on: “Really, Miles, your friend’s asking you a favour and you’d deny her?”

“Fine.” Miles threw his arms in the air. “But if that thing scratches me or pees on my bed, I’m divorcing you.”

“We’re not even married!” laughed Bass as Miles turned his back on them and stalked away. Bass turned to Nora. “He’ll come around, you’ll see. Who wouldn’t love such a pretty cat?”


	42. Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The way you said “I love you“ as a goodbye (requested by @ofwoodsandwaves).

You feel… peace. No, not really. You think you feel peace, but then, moments before you die you know that wasn’t it.

You feel… nothing.

That’s the closest thing to peace, you guess. Not that you do much guessing after the nano takes over.

Later, in those last moments you think of life under the nano as a still water surface undisturbed by currents or wind or waves – there are not worries, no regrets, no expectations, no excitement, nothing. No purpose with existing being its own purpose and therefore everything having purpose.

Of course you don’t quite put it into words like that; those are just vague thoughts fluttering over the anger that rises inside you when they fight the nano – you.

There he is, your _dad_ , trying to destroy your life once again…

And you are so mad, because how can he? After not even knowing you, after everything you’ve been through, after everything you’ve been through _because_ of _him_ , after all his broken promises, now he wants to put an end to the only time you felt happy, (but not really), at peace (not that either), nothing (as good as it gets.)

The first surge of anger is quickly joined by another when you catch yourself wanting that for him: the peace, the nothingness. And why, why would you want anything for him? Why, when he doesn’t deserve it, when he has always ruined everything for you, when he is about to ruin it again?

Then there is another sort of anger: anger at him for not wanting it. Stupid old man, having the happiness (although not really) and peace (sort of) he has claimed to want within his grasp and is now rejecting it.

The anger wars inside you, tearing you apart. You sway on your feet, your head all of a sudden dizzy, the world spins…

There is hard ground under you and something, someone warm.

Then you hear it. The string of “No, no, no, no! Connor, please, no, don’t die...”

Everything quietens.

”…I love you,” he says.

Or maybe it’s you who says it.

Then everything goes blank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I went with sort-of comic canon. I’m sorry? ;)


	43. Apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The way you said “I love you“ as an apology (requested by @ofwoodsandwaves).

“You’re not her mother!” Rachel snapped, drowning her voice drowning something Maggie was saying as Charlie came around the corner. “Find your own kids to defend their whims.”

Charlie was tempted to cut her way, but she resisted it and instead took two steps back melting in the shadow behind the corner as Rachel stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

When she made her way inside, Maggie was standing at the stove staring at an empty pot on the counter beside it. 

“What was that about?” Charlie asked.

Maggie startled, shaking her head when she looked at her. Charlie could see the unshed tears in her eyes, her heart constricting with something like guilt on Rachel’s behalf.

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, right.”

Charlie busied herself with putting the eggs from her basket into the cupboard before she looked at Maggie again.

“Rachel was cruel.” Charlie swallowed, then reached over to touch the back of her hand. “I love you?”

The other woman turned her hand to squeeze Charlie’s and smiled. “I know.”


	44. Oops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The way you said “I love you“ as over a beer bottle (requested by @ofwoodsandwaves).

“You know you’re such an ass,” Bass throws at him over the table and takes another swig from his bottle.

“Yeah, yeah. I love you, too,” Miles’s breath catches in his throat as the words leave his lips. Then he raises his own beer in a mock toast and drinks as if the beer could wash down the words he’s just said together with the panic that rises in his chest. 


	45. Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The way you said “I love you“ when we lay together on the fresh spring grass (requested by @ofwoodsandwaves).

The visits to Rachel’s folks are mostly insufferable.

Sure, the Porters are civil to him, but they will never stop looking down their noses on him and wondering how their genius princess could have dumped the smart, refined brother with a doctorate for his sorry, clearly inferior self.

So he keeps to himself while they flaunt Rachel and her achievements in front of their friends.

What makes it more than worth it, though, is the kids running all over the garden, screaming and squealing until they collapse in a heap on the fresh spring grass in a fit of giggles.

Danny presses a loud smooch to Charlie’s cheek, his shrill voice carrying over the crisp air: “Wuw you, Cha-lie!”

The five-year-old throws her arms around her brother and hugs him tightly, replying in a softer, much more serious tone: “Love ya, too, Danny.”

And Miles finds himself grinning like an idiot.


	46. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt [309](http://thinkwritten.com/365-creative-writing-prompts/) \+ [this pic](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/225813368791394433/) | Miles, Charlie | G (+100 words limit)

Miles halts in the driveway, squinting at the dumpster overflowing with balloons. Surely, his evil sister-in-law wouldn't dump his niece's birthday decorations out, no matter what the said niece may have done?

A whirlwind of blond that bounds towards him with the speed of a tornado interrupts his puzzling and the next moment Charlie attaches herself to his leg, her “Uncle Miiiiiiiiiles!” almost piercing his eardrums.

“Hey, squirrel,” he breathes through laughter, scooping her up in his arms. “Happy Birthday!”

She hugs him fiercely and giggles in his neck the words much too serious for a five-year-old, “It is now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, I haven't finished either of my summer prompts fics, and I'm sorry. I also have a monsterfic for another fandom, but I've been struggling with a writer's block, so this was basically a writing exercise to maybe break it? *shrugs* I thought why not also share it.


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